The best comparison here for H-town is to Atlanta, another sprawling Sun Belt metropolis. And…we sure do measure up poorly. Simply, Houston’s public transportation system is awful. I pity my co-worker who uses Metro and has to transfer to get to/from work. Atlanta has a far more robust system (their subway goes to the airport – what a concept!), one that is not ridden mostly by poor people with no other choice.

The ATL airport is 15 miles closer to Downtown than IAH and it goes through less horrible neighborhoods than the Houston line would. You need people getting on and off in between Downtown and IAH and there just isn’t much there. I will never be able to take light rail to work, but I do use the HOV lane. I have taken the bus home and the only problem is never knowing when the next one is coming. Why would a train be so much better than the existing Park and Ride system? The Buses take the HOV lane so there isn’t stopping at lights? The train is way too expensive for the few people that would take it.